The Sabaki movement is a unique method of meeting an attack by combining defence and offence into one.

Sabaki uses one of four fundamental circular movements in response to an attacker’s thrust. These movements carry the defender to the outside- left or right of an attack, moving either slightly forward or backward.

In each case, the defender move’s to the attacker’s back side. This limits the defender’s exposure to frontal attack. In addition, it allows the defender to develop a “blind spot” in the attacker’s position.

Once the defender has developed this “blind spot”, he/she can take strategic advantage of this position by entering that “blind spot” and countering effectively with various combinations of punches and kicks.

No matter what the distance – short, medium or long – this strategy of moving outside and to an opponent’s “blind spot” is essential.

In Kenpokai / Shidokan Karate the practitioner learns to be aware of three types of distances and the Sabaki that applies to each.